Cyber criminals will do anything to trick you into giving them access to your personal information, including the use of look-alike websites.
Fake websites are a critical part of the common phishing scam. A phishing scam is when you receive an official-looking email or text message masquerading as a large retailer, usually with links to phony websites that resemble legitimate ones. These websites attempt to trick you into giving out sensitive information, such as credit card numbers or account passwords.
Although fake websites may seem like a common danger to internet users, many still have problems identifying them. Here are a few things you can do to recognize the risks and protect yourself.
· Check the domain name closely
Scammers use URLs that closely resemble websites you visit regularly. Often times text messages or emails contain URLs that have been altered slightly with letters, added words, and dashes in order to entice you to click on the link without thinking. Here are some examples of how scammer spoof website domain names. BankoffAmerica.com (adding an extra “f”), WaImart.com (using a capital “i” instead of a lowercase “L”) Amzaon.com (Switching the order of “a” and “z” ).
· Look for a padlock symbol
After checking the spelling of the URL, look for the padlock symbol in the address bar. This padlock symbol is the SSL certificate or “security certificate”. It indicates that the information you send to the site such as passwords…
